You know all of those quirky indie comedies about dysfunctional families? This is the brilliant, devastating, and dark antidote to that largely useless subgenre of independent film. The Vicious Kind is mostly a character study of Caleb, a truck driver who turns into an angry, bitter insomniac after his girlfriend cheats on him. When his sweet and innocent little brother Peter begs for a ride home from college for Thanksgiving, he bitches and moans about it until he meets Peter's girlfriend Emma. Caleb becomes obsessed with Emma and in a series of frightening and inappropriate encounters with her, they form an intense and sexually charged bond.

As I was watching Celeste & Jesse Forever for the fourth time the other night, I couldn't get director Lee Toland Krieger's previous film, The Vicious Kind, out of my mind. I realized that I had only seen it the one time back in 2009 when it was first released, so I was eager to embark on a rewatch to see if it affected me as much as it initially did at that time. I could recall specific scenes from it, particularly some intense and impressive bursts of dramatic acting from Adam Scott that I was very surprised by, but a good majority of the film I had forgotten.

Labeled as a "Comedy" I didn't find anything funny at all. But what I found was a dark twisted film, filled with some excellent performances. Adam Scott as the asshole older brother was really good. And the beautiful girlfriend of his younger brother played by Brittany Snow. It's a nicely put together indie film, of a dysfunctional family. A perverted father, who holds a grudge, on his insomniac eldest son. And The nice guy brings home his pretty girlfriend. So you know this can't end well. Overall it was well worth the time.

Adam Scott gives an excellent performance as man who may be content not picking up the post-breakup pieces of his life in "The Vicious Kind," a film about anger, family, and healing. Scott's Caleb, all neck-bearded and sad, leads this film that provides somber drama with a touch of comedy.

Lee Toland Krieger's film begins with a monologue by Caleb that sets the stage for his character. He is bitter and venting after a romantic relationship has ended and his bitterness pervades everything he touches. Caleb begins to heal, accidentally, with the arrival of his brother's new girlfriend, a woman who sparks rage, longing, and a host of familial conflicts.

Some people are twisted. A dark family drama with some great character study! It's definitely worth the watch, but maybe it's not the best thing to watch if you have some kind of trust issues though. I really don't get why it's listed as a comedy.

Oh and I'll have to admit that Alex Frost and Adam Scott are eye candy. Which is nice too. (am I the only one who thinks that Alex Frost kinda looks like young Dustin Hoffman?! It really striked me in this one.)

Because I have been part of the music industry for so long I sometimes connect between music and films. Maybe because there is a deep connection between the 2. People usually see the band 'the smiths' as the band who invented Indie music. that is of course incorrect because labels like 'Cherry Red' and even 'Rough Trade' (which was the smiths label) released indie music before them but they surely made indie successful and got it to the top of the charts which for me represent mainstream if we like it or not. Same is with Indie films. Its been a while and as always indie gain success with many films and one should accept the option that an indie…

There's too many films about dysfunctional families in Hollywood. The Family Stone, Osage County and Little Miss Sunshine immediately come to mind. Can't we all just get along? The Vicious Kind is another of this tired genre. And while it had its moments, overall it fell far short of greatness.

Still, a movie with Brittany Snow is one I can't pass up. Not only do I find her quite attractive, with that perfect smile and those penetrating blue eyes, but she's a versatile actress as well who can play charming, catty, innocent, humorous. Whatever the situation calls for. Here she plays Emma, the mysterious college girl that her boyfriend Peter brings home for the holidays. And who catches the eye…

not as misogynistic as i expected. surprisingly two sided. i felt for the lady and her struggle when i thought i was just gonna write her off. nuanced tension built nice and slow, kinda crazed, kinda sad. most of the movie they were playing the game and didn't realize it. is it still foreplay when they don't know they're doing it? feelings are weird. compulsion is a cliche both a gift and a curse. this move feels kinda hipster and i'm not even sure what that means but its'still pretty decent.

Strong comedic actors and dramatic performances appear to go hand in hand. Adam Sandler, Will Ferrell, and lately Robin Williams are great examples with Punch Drunk Love, Stranger Than Fiction, and World‘s Greatest Dad under their respected belts. However, one does not get used to comedians taking on many of these roles. When they do, however, cultism forms around the performances that result. Adam Scott can now be added to that illustrious list.

Let me begin by stating that The Vicious Kind did not allure me in the art department. The cover art is a faded brown with no remarkable points of interest. The description on the back makes the film sound just as drab as the cover does. Here…